Especially at the beginning, it's not easy to keep track: What exactly is an energy community? And what do all the abbreviations mean? We know that many questions arise repeatedly – both from interested parties and new members. That's why we've compiled the most important answers here and made them available online.
EG, EEG, BEG – what does that mean?
One Energy Community (EC) is an association of at least two participants with the goal of jointly generating, using, and sharing energy. The term "EG" serves as an umbrella term for various forms of such communities. In Austria, there are two legally defined types of energy communities: Renewable Energy Community (EEG) and the Citizens' Energy Community (BEG).
The EEG enables the communal use of locally or regionally renewable energy – electricity and heat. This means that the participants must be located within a geographically limited area, for example, within a municipality or a grid area. BEG However, it is permitted to operate throughout Austria, meaning it is not tied to any geographical proximity. However, it can only share electricity, not heat.
What does the EEG or BEG sell?
We don't actually sell anything in the traditional sense. Rather, we provide our members with platform available to them energy among themselves exchange On this platform, Feeder – those that produce energy – and customerthat purchase energy. Many of our members take on both roles at the same time: They generate electricity with their own system and also use it themselves. These so-called Prosumer (a portmanteau of “producer” and “consumer”) are a central component of our energy community.
What is the legal basis for the EEG or BEG?
We are non-profit associations and work for the common good of our members. The legal basis for this was created by the Republic of Austria in 2021 – since then, energy can be produced, stored, consumed, and sold across property boundaries. The legal framework in Austria was defined in detail with the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG), the Electricity Industry and Organisation Act (EIWOG) § 16c, 16d and 16e were created. Within the European Union (EU), the framework conditions were already established in 2019 with the "Renewable Energy Directive (RED II)” and the “Electricity Market Directive (EMD)“ created.
Do I have to change my electricity provider?
No, you do not have to change your electricity provider (for example Wien Energie) – on the contrary: you need In addition to participating in a Renewable Energy Community (EEG), you will continue to use a conventional electricity supplier. The electricity supply works in synergy: The energy community supplies you with the share of electricity that is produced within the community and can be allocated to you. If this isn't enough, the missing electricity is automatically provided by your existing electricity provider. Together, we ensure that you have a reliable electricity supply at all times – as much as possible from the community, and as much as necessary from the electricity provider.
How does the EEG maintain itself financially?
To maintain the activities of our association, we charge customers a small surcharge of 3 cents per kilowatt hour. We deliberately forgo a fixed monthly membership fee. This ensures fair and transparent participation for everyone: Those who exchange more energy also contribute more to the operation of the community.
Is there a club in my area?
We are a non-profit organization and therefore handle our members' resources with particular care. We deliberately cannot afford a clubhouse – instead, we rely on simple, cost-effective structures. Participation in our energy communities is voluntary and non-profit – everyone who gets involved does so on a voluntary basis.
Communication within the community takes place predominantly on-line or in personal conversations, for example, in direct exchanges between neighbors. Please note: No public access is possible at our club headquarters.
How is the electricity price determined?
We are guided by the Market price for green electricity, which is from the Austrian E-Control is officially determined on the basis of the applicable legal provisions: https://www.e-control.at/marktteilnehmer/oeko-energie/marktpreis.
What about network costs and fees?
In addition to the energy price, often simply called the "electricity price," there are many other costs. Almost half of these (as of 2024) are attributable to so-called ancillary costs such as grid charges, fees, and taxes. This is precisely where you can save a lot of money each year! We've got you covered on how it works: explained in detail here…
What about VAT?
Our energy community – like every company – must generally pay 20% VAT. The EEG WIENERBERG social However, it benefits from the Small business regulation, because its annual turnover is below 35,000 euros. Therefore, it is exempt from VAT and does not have to pay any VAT.
How is payment made?
We always bill quarterly and in arrears. Initially, you pay a deposit of €50 by direct debit, which serves as a safety net. Once we have received all the necessary data from Wiener Netze – which can usually take up to eight weeks – we prepare the bill for the community. We then debit the outstanding amount from your bank account by direct debit and pay the feeders.
When will I receive an invoice?
We generally bill consumption once a quarter. Unfortunately, network operators – including Wiener Netze – often experience delays in providing the necessary data. These delays can have various causes, such as faulty communication with smart meters. As soon as we have the data from the last member for the relevant quarter, we can process the billing for all members.
The direct debit was declined – what now?
If a direct debit is declined or reversed from your bank account, this isn't a big problem at first, as you have a deposit of €50. In this case, we will temporarily deduct the outstanding amount from your deposit. However, we ask you to pay the outstanding bills as soon as possible so that your deposit can be replenished. If you fail to pay for an extended period and several bills remain outstanding, we will unfortunately be forced to stop supplying electricity until the outstanding amount is paid.
I don't want to pay by direct debit!
Currently, we only accept direct debit payments. Payments on account, by credit card, or other payment methods are unfortunately not available due to cost reasons and to simplify automated processing.
I don’t have a smart meter!
If you don't yet have a smart meter at home, we'll be happy to help you quickly schedule an appointment with Wiener Netze. It usually takes about two to three weeks to receive an installation appointment. By law, the grid operator is required to install a smart meter within two months of becoming a member of an energy community.
Are there any disadvantages to EEGs?
A disadvantage of Renewable Energy Communities (EEGs) is the Weather dependenceOn days with little sun, photovoltaic systems produce correspondingly less electricity – similarly, wind turbines behave when there is hardly any wind. Therefore, the amount of available electricity fluctuates depending on the weather conditions.
If there are multiple metering points, are there multiple advance payments?
Multiple metering points also mean multiple advance payments. Since the advance payment per customer-meter point, it is collected separately for each individual consumption point. Therefore, if someone owns several apartments, each with its own meter point, an advance payment of €50 (as of July 2025) is due for each of these apartments. This is because each consumption point represents its own risk – especially if a bill is not paid or a direct debit is declined. The advance payment serves as Security for the Energy Community to provide financial stability and to be able to pay the feeders on time. As soon as the membership ends and all outstanding amounts are settled, the entire paid-in amount will be refunded. Prosumer with at least one metering point are also consumers, an advance payment will be collected for this or these metering points.
What is a metering point number?
The metering point number is a unique, 33-digit identification number for your electricity connection in Austria.
It usually begins with "AT" and always remains the same regardless of the energy provider – even if you change electricity suppliers.
You can find the metering point number on your electricity bill, your Wiener Netze network access agreement or in Smart Meter Portal the Vienna Networks.
If you have further Questions or concerns please contact us via our Contact page.
Then there are the well-known Myths and legends – usually resulting from repeated, inaccurate transmission, partial knowledge, or misunderstandings. Information is often unclear, too technical, or contradictory – and people fill in the gaps with their own assumptions, which aren't always correct. You can find the most well-known myths and legends surrounding energy communities here. here.
Deutsch
English